NLCS Outlook

Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals, it’s a Central Division affair for a spot in the World Series. I expect great baseball from this series, two teams that know each other very well, and both winning fantastic game five series to punch their ticket forward. The Cardinals surprised me winning their series against Philadelphia, but the thing that got them through was great pitching and situation hitting. The Brewers won their series by a little home cooking, cementing their status as the league’s best team at home by winning their three home games to advance against Arizona. The key for Milwaukee to make their first WS appearance since 1982 is to limit the damage done by Albert Pujols, but to also remember it’s not just about stopping him; batting behind Pujols is Lance Berkman, Matt Holliday, Yadier Molina, and David Freese in that order, all of which are dangerous. For the Cardinals, it’s going to be crucial for them to steal a win in Milwaukee, and pitch smartly around this lineup as each batter knows how to hit in crucial situations. My pick: Milwaukee wins in 7.